Gap gauge for spark plugs



April 6, 1948. l.. A. HABICHT ETAL GAP GAUGE FOR SPARK PLUGS Filed Jan. l5, 1945 "Olaf/1111111. l-I- Y` Ime/mw Laws A.HABIUHT HDM/AED fil/'DEEL Patented pr. 6, 1948 tren PATE olf-fr rca;

` Y ease-i363 Y GAP GAUGE. FOR SBARKPLUG'S.'

Ilouis'A Habielitl and Howard" H1 Vogel',` Toledo; Ohio; assignorstto-Champion Spark. Pl'ugCome 112mm'v '.llnledbi, Ohio, azcorporationof Delaware; Applnatnjanuary 15, 1945, Serial No. 57%952 claims.

This. invention"relatestcrgauges;` and particui larlytothose.ofthetypehaving'one lor more pairs of associated. gauge' wiresformembersfor determining the minimumandmaXimumlimits of'` the sparking gaps/totsparltplugs; A

In the adjusting ,ofsparlsfpiugzgapsgit isa-ire-A quireinent; particularly' witlr plugs use'dfin` `aviation engines; to gauge the-gapsboth ibifrnini'rnurn and maximum requirements'an'd: toonlyfus'ev plugs havingl gaps vcoming 'within-such limits:

An object'of' theinventionjis thefprovision of a' spark gap gauge having'at least one? pair of' gaugei elements" for: measuring theN minimum and' maximum of' a particular gap` and. whichare adapted' to be retracted'within a holderA or projectedl in usable position therefrom:4 Y

Another object is' the' provision. ofi a gauge of this character havinga` pluralityofpairsof assooiated gauge elements selectively operableY to be projected into usable'posit-ion formeasuring the minimum and maximumlimits" of predetermined` gaps;

Another object is" the provision of aY gauge of this character havingJ aV` plurality' o'fpairs of associated" gauge elements' selectively operable to beA projected into usable position for-'measuring the minimumand' maximum limits of" predetermined gaps, the elements of `'all other pairs' being locked against projection for. use until. theV elements of any previously operatedpair have been retracted from usable position.

Another object of the invention is' the. provision in a gauge' ofthe` wirer typeg. oi'means. for carrying thewires andrendering them. adjustable whereby theyu maybe projected` to usableV posi"- tion from aholderorretractled; to inoperative position. therein; thus enabling; theA gauge to he carried in the pocket orin' a' tool case' without harm to .the toolor the carrier and'be readily available" foruse. atl any; time;

The invention is fully described'in the following specication,v and* a preferred" embodiment thereof illustratedinj the accompaning, drawings,

inwhich- Figure' I is a side elvatibn1ofa1gauge embody ingA the invention,showingapalr of` gauge. wires projected1for.use;,Fig. 2"is a frontlendview thereof; Fig. 3is a side elevation of"oneoi"theL gauge wires with itscarryingbar.; Eig; 4is' a side elevationof' the magazine forcarrying` apluralityA oi' gauge members, with a pari-,.brokenaway; Fig. 5 is an enlarged frontlendviewthereofiFig, 6`is a central longitudinal' section ofy the barrel or holder member. in which the` magazine is mounted`,. with. the'i gauge wire` operating. slides gauge inv connection therewith; 'lffisz an enlarged cross-section of'the gauge; taken.. om the linez 1"-11 inFig: 6 with parts in full; Fig. 8' is a:perspective` View of one of; theG slide members, and Eig; 9 is an enlargedcentral"longitudinalsection oi the with one gauge-wire projected;

Referring to drawings', I1 designates'l a cylindri-` cal holder orbarrel havingfa longitudinall bore 2i therein that is open at one end and is closed! at its other end, as at 3T, exceptforraipair of small holes 4`therein. Apair` of longitudinally extending slots 5' are provided'throughithe wallof; the barrel-i in circumferentallyspacedlrel'ation corresponding to the spacing off the holesill so that each slot is substantially in register with a respective hole lengthwise of" the barrel; 'A manually controlled slide Bis mounted in each slot for movement lengthwise thereof" andi each. slide has at its inn-er side a-ninT projecting iht'o the barrel 2Y and at its outer sid'ei anexposed roughened portion to facilitate-movement oi': the'slide` by a` finger or thumb offa hand grasping the barrel;

A cylindrical magazinev Iisl-rotatably` mounted" in the barrel bore' 2 andhas a head'Y Hi at the rear open end of thebore which isf' preferably the diameter ofi the barrel'and` shoulders against its end. The body portion-of the magazine. which litsV in the bore, is provd'ed'wthi' a plurality ofi circumierentially' spaced longitudinally extend-` ing surface grooves l2 in eachof-'which a gauge wire holder I3 of bar-form is mounted for longi-V tudinal reciprocatory' movements, being guided in such movementsby-its groovea Af gauge wire M of a particular size is carriedby andprojected from the forward end'off each bar I3" in position to be proiected outwardly through one of the holes 4 with which it may beiin `longitudinal register. Each bar i3 and itswreflareiofacombined length to adapt themV to-be-entlrely contained within the barrel in agroove I=f2fin1wliich disposed when the bar isV in retracted?position. The magazine is rotatable int-helbarrel'to'placevany gauge wire in registerI wit-h" oneor`A` the other ofthe holes d, so asT to befprojectedtherethrough upon l'an outward movement of the carrying bar. Movement of the'ba'rsv i's yieldingly resisted `by one or more springs- |5i in the magazine;

The magazine Ill'is providednear` its rear end with a circumferential groove` H'lin-` intersecting relation to the grooves- I'Zfand=` each bar lf3 likewise has a cross groove-or-recess l'lf'therein near` its rear end and in register with` thegroove I5 when the bar and its wire HlC 'are in full ref tracted; positions.

When each. slide- 6.. isY at thezrear end. of; its

guide slot, its pin 1 registers with the groove I6 and permits a complete turning ofr the magazine I in the barrel providing all of the bars I3 are retracted so that their grooves I'I register with the magazine groove I6. The pins 'I are of slightly less width than the longitudinal grooves I2 sothat when engaged within a bar groove I'I the slides maybe moved lengthwise of the barrel to eiect an outward movement of the engaged bar and to cause its gauge Wire to be projected outward through the registering hole 4 which is positioned relative to the slide movement for such purpose. When either slide has been 'moved forward out of register with the groove I6, its pin 'I engages the side walls of the groove I2 in which disposed, thus locking the magazine against turning until the slide has again been returned to full retracted position.

The closed end 3 of the barrel is p-rovided at its inner side with a circular series of depressions 20 corresponding in number and spacing to the grooves I2, `and 4a spring pressed detent 2| carried by the magazine at its forward end successively engages these depressions as the magazine is rotated so as to yieldingly hold the magazine in any position of rotary adjustment with a predetermined gauge wire in register with a hole 4.

The gauge wires` I4 with their bars I3 are carried in predetermined pairs by the magazine I0 in position for thegwires of any pair to be projected outward to usable positions through the holes 4 when the magazine is in a proper position of rotary adjustment therefor. While any number of pairs of gauge wires may be provided for which the size of the magazine is suitable. in the present'instance there are five pairs of these wires with the wires of each pair disposed in diametrically opposed positions. The gauge sizes of the wires are indicated on the head exposed portion Il of the magazine, such designations being arranged in circumferentially spaced relation around the head and each having an indicating line or point for register with a line 25 (Fig. 1) on the rear end portion of the barrel or holder I'. As previously stated, the gauge wires as well as their designation numbers are arranged in pairs with the wire of one pair being of proper size, for instance a .011 gauge for determining the minimum spacing requirements of a gap, while the companion Wire of the pair would be proper for a .014 gauge to determine the maximum spacing of a spark gap. Should it be desired to measure a gap, the minimum and maximum spacing requirements of which are .011 and ".014, respectively, the head I I will be turned for the .011 indication thereon to register with Vthe line 25 and this would automatically place the two gauge wires corresponding to such measurements in position to be projected through the holes 4. Likewise, if the minimum and maximum spacing requirements were suitable for measurement by .016 and .020 Wires, the magazine would be turned so that .016 registered with the line 25, which would place the wires of such sizes in position to be projected through the holes 4. The gauge wire sizes preferable for use in pairs for the minimum and maximum measurements of spark plug gaps are .011 and .014; .012 and .018; .016 and .020; .018 and .022; .024 and .025. When any pair of wires is turned into position to be projected from the holder, such projection may be eifected by merely moving the slides 6 forward in their slots. The ymovementof either slide to eiect a projection of a slide pin 1 lengthwise in a magazine groove I2 and out of register with the circumferential groove I 5, thereby locking the magazine against turning relative to the barrel until the projected wires have been retracted within the holder so as to again place the lock pin 'I in register with the groove I 6. The barrel I and magazine I0 are retained in assembled rel-ation for relative rotary movements by a screw 26 in the barrel engaging within a circumferential groove 21 in the magazine.

It will be understood that while in the present v.instance the wires of each pair are disposed in diametricallyopposed relation with respect to the holder axis and the indicating measurements therefor positioned accordingly on the knobl portion I I of the magazine, the wires and measurements may be in any other suitable arrangement as may be desired or convenient.

We Wish it understood that our invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or -form of the parts, asit is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. A spark plug gap gauge having a .barrellike holder, a pair of companion gauge wires for predetermined minimum and maximum gapspacing requirements mounted in said holder and manually movable to project the wires to usable positions without the holder or to retract them entirely within the holder, and means projecting without a side of the holder and operable to impart projecting or retracting movements to the wires.

2. A spark plug gap gauge having a barrellike holder, a magazine rotatably mounted in said holder, a plurality of pairs of companion gauge wires carried by the magazine for rotary movements therewith and for reciprocatory movements lengthwisev thereof, the former to place the wires in predetermined position relative to the holder and the latter to project the wires into usable position from the holder, and means projecting without the holder and operable to selectively project and retract the wires relative to the holder and magazine. Y Y

3. A spark plug gap gauge having a barrellike holder, a magazine mounted in said holder, a plurality of gauge members carried by the magazine for movements lengthwise thereof to project or retract the members relative to the holder, and means operable to selectively engage the members to impart projecting or retracting movements thereto. c

4. A spark plug gap gauge including a barrellike holder, a magazine mounted in said holder, a plurality of gauge members carried by the magazine for movements lengthwise thereof to project or retract the members relative to the holder, said magazine being rotatable Within the holder to selectively place predetermined gauge wires in positions to be projected, and means operable to engage the members when in projecting position to impart projecting 0r retracting movements thereto and to lock the magazine against rotation in the holder except when the members are inretracted positions.

5. In a spark plug gap gauge, a holder, a magazine, a plurality of associated pairs ofl members for minimum and maximum gauge requirements of a spark gap carried bythe magazine for movegauge wire will move the ments relative thereto into and out of usable position, said holderand magazine being carried one by the other and relatively rotatable to selectively place the pairs of said members in predetermined shiftable relation to the holder, and means operable to project a pair of gauge members to usable position and also to retract them when in predetermined shiftable relation to the holder.

6. In a spark plug gap gauge, a holder, a magazine having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending passages, a gap gauge member mounted in each of said passages for movements lengthwise of the magazine to project or retract the member relative to the holder, said magazine being rotatably carried by the holder to selectively place each member in a predetermined position relative to the holder for such movements, and means operable to engage and effect a projection or retraction of a member when in such position and also to lock the magazine against movement relative to the holder except when the engaged member is in one position of its movement relative to the magazine.

'7. In a spark plug gap gauge, a barrel-like holder having two holes in one end, a magazine having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending passages therein, said magazine being rotatable in the holder to place the passages of predetermined pairs in register with respective of said holes, a. gap gauge member slidable in each passage to be enclosed within the holder or projected in usable position therefrom through a registering hole, and slide means movably mounted on the holder and operable to cause a projection or retraction of any predetermined pair of said members when in register with said holes and to lock the magazine against movement during such movements of the members. 8. In a spark plug gap gauge, a barrel-like holder having two holes in one end, a magazine having a plurality of circurnferentially spaced longitudinally extending passages therein, said magazine being rotatable in the holder to place the passages of predetermined pairs in register with respective of said holes, a gap gauge member slidable in each passage to be enclosed within the holder or projected in usable position therefrom through a registering hole, and a slide carried by the holder in association with each hole and being operable to project a registering member through a hole with which it registers or to retract the `member within the holder and to lock the magazine and holder against :relative rotary movements except when the slide and an engaged member are in retracted positions.

LOUIS A. HABICHT. HOWARD H. VOGEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number NameV Date 1,806,580 Barth May 26, 1931 2,313,174 Shock Mar. 9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 593,289 France 1925 

